THE Prime Minister has announced the appointment of Monmouth MP David Davies to serve as a representative of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Mr Davies was in Strasbourg last week to hear David Cameron address the Assembly during its winter plenary session at the Palais de l’Europe and deliver a call for sweeping human rights reform.
Possibly the best known part of the Council of Europe is the controversial European Court of Human Rights, which the UK has clashed with over a number of issues.
Mr Davies commended the Prime Minister for speaking out on “bizarre” laws which “distorted” and “discredited” the concept of human rights and voiced his own concerns about recent rulings on immigration and prisoner voting.
“I have in the past made it clear that I’m extremely worried about some of the decisions the European Court has taken and I welcome David Cameron’s proposals for fundamental reform,” said Mr Davies.
“There is growing anger amongst the British public over rulings which blocked the deportation of extremist cleric Abu Qatada and required the extension of voting rights to prison inmates. It is absolutely disgraceful that dangerous rapists, foreign criminals, failed asylum seekers and terrorists are being allowed to stay here and the Government is absolutely right to be consulting on the need for a UK Bill of Rights.
“However, the Council of Europe does do good work in encouraging democracy in some of the other 46 member countries without a democratic tradition as long as ours, particularly in former Soviet States. It also helps to monitor political elections by drawing up rules to stamp out corruption and is very actively supporting and promoting improved women’s human rights.
“I am extremely honoured to have been appointed as a member of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly and I look forward to fulfilling my new international role at what is a crucial time for Britain’s relationship with the Council of Europe.""